Kerala HC gives month’s time in SNC Lavalin case

Kochi, Aug 12 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan got a breather on Friday as the Kerala High Court allowed CBI counsel a month’s time to study a revision petition filed by the central agency in the SNC Lavalin case, in which Vijayan is an accused.

After Additional Solicitor General of India P.S. Patwalia, who is representing the Central Bureau of Investigation, on Friday sought time for studying the case, Justice B. Kemal Pasha posted the case for hearing after a month.

The court said it is ready to hear the petition anytime.

The case dates back to 1997 when as then the Kerala Power Minister, Vijayan entered into an agreement with Canadian company SNC Lavalin to repair three generators of the state electricity board.

According to the state government affidavit filed in 2014, the agreement caused a loss of Rs 266 crore to the exchequer. The CBI had named Vijayan as an accused in the case.

A CBI special court exonerated him in 2013, following which the CBI approached the high court with a revision petition.

The outgoing Kerala government led by Oommen Chandy had also filed a revision petition.

A few other revision petitions in the case were not admitted as the court ruled that only the CBI could do so.